Brightlingsea Regent vs Cray Wanderers – Isthmian Premier, Sat, 29th January, 3pm – Match Preview, Admission and Directions

Brightlingsea Regent vs Cray Wanderers, Isthmian Premier, Sat, 29th January, 3pm – Match Preview & Directions

Pics: Jon Hilliger/www.hilligerpix.com

 

Cray Wanderers bring the curtain down on a busy January on Saturday with a trip to Brightlingsea Regent in a match with big significance at the bottom end of the Isthmian Premier table.

After Tuesday’s defeat at Lewes the Wands went back into the bottom three in 20^th place while Brightlingsea Regent are one place and one point ahead of Cray in 19^th place on 24 points.

Despite the defeat at the Dripping Pan Cray were not by any means outclassed and perhaps just lacked a cutting edge that the home side had on the night and a bit of fortune with the first goal with the last kick of the half.

Youth loan signing Nazir Bakrin made a composed debut as centre-half alongside Tom Hanfrey and there were fine performances from Kasim Aidoo, Jacob Munting and Cameron Brodie amongst others. Grant Basey’s side can take heart from recent performances especially the remarkable comeback against Carshalton last Saturday and there are plenty of games still to go as we enter February.

Cray will be looking to improve an average record against sides near the foot of the table against a Brightlingsea side who after losing their first four games of 2022 are unbeaten in their last two games and showed good character to come back from 0-2 down to draw 2-2 at Lewes last Saturday with Aaron Blair’s late penalty earning a vital point.

When the two sides met at Hayes Lane on 25^th September, Regent won 2-0 with two Ken Feyi goals despite being down to ten men after the first ten minutes which was their only win in 15 league games. This was a match where Freddy Barton and Kasim Aidoo made their Cray Wanderers debuts. Regent picked up good form in December with three wins out of four and Brett Munyard’s team will be tough opponents. Recent arrivals include defender Chris Gregan from Bishop’s Stortford and wide player Wyan Reid from Concord Rangers.

Brightlingsea at home have beaten Merstham (2-0), Leatherhead (1-0), East Thurrock United (2-1) and Potters Bar Town (2-0). Their other games ended in defeats against Bishop’s Stortford (1-4), Lewes (0-4), Bognor Regis Town (0-5), Wingate & Finchley (1-3), Horsham (0-6), Bowers & Pitsea (2-3), Worthing (0-3), Hornchurch (1-5) and Kingstonian (2-4). Away from  home Regent won at  Cray Wanderers (2-0), Leathehead (2-0) and Merstham (1-0), drew at East Thurrock United, Corinthian Casuals and Lewes and their other games ended in defeat  at Enfield Town, Kingstonian, Cheshunt, Folkestone Invicta, Margate, Carshalton Athletic, Haringey Borough and Bishop’s Stortford. In the FA Cup they were beaten at Leiston in the 1QR and in the FA Trophy at Staines Town in the Preliminary Round.

Cray’s record at Brightlingsea has been very good having won there on their previous three visits with the last a 2-0 win on 16^th November 2019 with two Joe Taylor goals. The away record is in contrast to Cray at home as Brightlingsea have won three times at Hayes Lane out of four previous games.

There is no doubt this is going to be a tense afternoon in North Essex and Cray will have to show similar resolve to the game at East Thurrock on New Year’s Day as Cray head into a pivotal month still with so much to play for.

DIRECTIONS TO BRIGHTLINGSEA REGENT

 The Taydal Stadium, North Road, Brightlingsea, Essex CO7 0PL

 ADMISSION PRICES

Adult Entry:  £12.00

Concession: £ 7.00

12 to 18 year old £ 4.00

Under 12 year old Free

Pay on gate or online tickets available at: https://brightlingsearegentfc.ktckts.com/

Directions:

By Car: From the A12 turn off at Junction 29 for the A120 Colchester/Clacton, then turn onto left slip road, signposted Colchester. At the roundabout take the third exit onto Ipswich Road A1232, follow this road and at the second roundabout take the left turn onto the A133 St Andrews Avenue. This will continue on and take you to Brightlingsea/Wivenhoe, follow this road until turning right onto the B1027 Colchester Road heading to Wivenhoe. Continue along the B1027 road and follow into Brightlingsea. Once in Brightlingsea you will pass the Colne School. Continue on this road for 500 yards, opposite Jimmy Mac’s Plaice turn left onto Ladysmith Avenue, then left again into Spring Road and then left again onto North Road where the ground is situated at the bottom of the road.

For coach travelers please park in Cinque Port Road and access the ground via Kent Close Entrance.  Post code CO7 0PZ. You will not be able to access the ground via North Road.

Rail & Bus: The two nearest train stations to Brightlingsea are Alresford and Wivenhoe, you also have both Colchester stations which run trains more frequently. Trains from London Liverpool Street depart to Colchester at 02, 18, 21 and 36 past the hour. The bus service you require is the number 78 or 87 bus. This service runs between Colchester and Brightlingsea every 30 minutes, 20 past the hour and 10 to the hour. These buses will take you to Tesco’s on Brightlingsea High Street, turn up Queen Street, left into Spring Road and then right onto North Road where the ground is situated at the bottom of the road.

Nearest pubs:  The club house at the ground based on our last three visits is excellent and a warm and kindly service. If you have time on your hands as a bit of trek perhaps from our neck of the woods there is the Cherry Tree (29 Church Road) which does a terrific cooked breakfast by all accounts and also the Kings Head (41 Victoria Place) is highly rated and also has live music at the weekends if thinking of staying the night.

Also on Victoria Place is the Brewers Arms which also has live music sets. As a seaside venue there is also The Rosebud Pub and Seafood Restaurant (66 Hurst Green) which overlooks the docks and seafront.  On our previous two visits the chippy has been a popular choice on arrival and Jimmy Mac’s Plaice on Church Road is highly recommended and the nearest to the ground.

Brightlingsea is a coastal town situated between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea at the mouth of the River Colne.  At one time the town was linked to shipbuilding and fishing and was linked to Sandwich as one of the Cinque Ports. Nowadays it is a holiday resort with a nice harbour and has one of the few open air lido’s still active.  The town is steeped in history and is home to Batemans Tower which is by the Creek and had a railway station at Brightlingsea which was closed following the Beeching Report of 1963 and is now the Railway Tavern and Micro-Brewery.